"I have people dropping by daily to help who have seen the story on Instagram," she said. "They have volunteered money and time and cars because we had to get them to the hotel."

"I also have a real estate brokerage, so some of the agents came out to help," she said. "They cooked for the homeless, helping serving them."

The crew's first move was to evacuate a tent city near the Dan Ryan Expressway, where a fire caused by a propane tank explosion forced out dozens of residents, Payne said.

The Salvation Army had gotten a request to shelter about 70 people but later learned it wouldn't be necessary because of Payne and her team.

"We are thrilled that they are safe and warm," charity spokeswoman Jacqueline Rachev said.

The ad hoc volunteers also drove around Chicago's South Loop, looking for people out in the cold, Payne said.

"We got people from the police stations, hospitals, outside huddled around fire pits. We drove around looking for them," she said. "What inspired me was my current blessings, so I was just trying to give back."